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Quantifying regional variations in components of acute stroke unit (ASU) care in the international HeadPoST study
Ouyang, Menglu Zhang, Yao Wang, Xia Song, Lili Billot, Laurent Robinson, Thompson Lavados, Pablo M. Arima, Hisatomi Hackett, Maree L. Olavarría, Verónica V.
Ouyang, Menglu
Zhang, Yao
Wang, Xia
Song, Lili
Billot, Laurent
Robinson, Thompson
Lavados, Pablo M.
Arima, Hisatomi
Hackett, Maree L.
Olavarría, Verónica V.
Author
Abstract
Objective
Access to acute stroke unit (ASU) care is known to vary worldwide. We aimed to quantify regional variations in the various components of ASU care.
Method
Secondary analysis of the Head Positioning in acute Stroke Trial (HeadPoST), an international, multicentre, cluster crossover trial of head-up versus head-down positioning in 11,093 acute stroke patients at 114 hospitals in 9 countries. Patients characteristics and 11 standard components of processes of care were described according to ASU admission within and across four economically-defined regional groups (Australia/UK, China [includes Taiwan], India/Sri Lanka, and South America [Brazil/Chile/Colombia]). Variations in process of ASU care estimates were obtained in hierarchical mixed models, with adjustment for study design and potential patient- and hospital-level confounders.
Results
Of 11,086 patients included in analyses, 59.7% (n = 6620) had an ASU admission. In China, India/Sri Lanka and South America, ASU patients were older, had greater neurological severity and more premorbid conditions than non-ASU patients. ASU patients were more likely to receive reperfusion therapy and multidisciplinary care within regions, but the components of care varied across regions. With Australia/UK as reference, patients in other regions had a lower probability of receiving reperfusion therapy, especially in India/Sri Lanka (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.27, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.12–0.63) and multidisciplinary care (mainly in formal dysphagia assessment, physiotherapy and occupational therapy).
Conclusion
There is significant variation in the components of stroke care across economically-defined regions of the world. Ongoing efforts are required to reduce disparities and optimise health outcomes, especially in resource poor areas.
Clinical trial registration
HeadPoST is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02162017).
Keywords
stroke units, care, international, clinical trial, outcome, acute stroke
Date
2020
Type
Journal article
Journal
Journal of the Neurological Sciences
Book
Volume
419
Issue
Page Range
1-6
Article Number
Article 117187
ACU Department
Nursing Research Institute
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Collections
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
Published as ‘gold’ (paid) open access
License
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
File Access
Open